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pre-school

Hi - just need a bit of advice on pre school. I've been told that I need to apply this october for L to start the following year. The only problem is I work 3 days a week and L is in nursery care twice a week - i would love her to go to pre school but the hours just wouldnt suit as we drop her off at nursery at 7:30 and pick her up at 5:30. I was wondering if there was a possibility she would be able to go 2 or 3 times a week? i.e her grandparents would drop her off and pick her up on a monday while im in work and maybe on a thursday and friday (I really dont want to be without her all week but at the same time I dont want her to miss out or be behind the other children). What are peoples thoughts on pre-school? Do you send your child all week? and what hrs are they? sorry - i've just got no idea

sorry forgot to add that DP and I are going to be ttc from January - if I were to get pregnant in the first few months then i would start maternity leave sometime between sept and Jan. Could I apply for a place and just start her later after term starts i.e when im on maternity leave and available to drop her off and pick her up ?

Children currently qualify for 15 hours pre-school grant, from the term after they are 3. This can be used in a pre-school, or towards the cost of a nursery place (they usually charge more per hour than pre-schools, therefore the grant doesn't always cover as many hours as at pre-school, if that makes sense!).

My son attends pre-school, and is loving it. However, I also have friends who have/will be keeping their children in their current nurseries, until they start school, some because of childcare, some because the children are settled there. Some do a mix of both, especially if the pre-school is attached to the school their child may attend. Nurseries have different rooms for each age group, so your daughter will move up to pre-school type room, and in this sense, the things they will be doing should, in theory, be comparable with a pre-school, in that they are with children of a similar age etc.

Just being with other children, developing social skills, as well as the other things they do at nursery/pre-school, are a good foundation for school.

I've looked at reception class websites, and they like children to come in being able to dress/undress, recognise their name, toilet by themselves (although alot of 4 year olds will may still need a bit of help with wiping themselves), and think there were a couple of other things. 1342

Nursery and pre-school can be both good choices for pre-school children.

Depending on the pre-school, some will allow you to start later in the term, some not, my son's fills up completely from the Sept, so a few sessions/places may come up, but they don't generally have different intakes through the year, though I know of other pre-schools that do.

And just for info, my son'd pre-school opens 9-4.

HTH x

This post has been edited 1 times, last edit by "compley" (Jun 2nd 2011, 8:11pm)